1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is a method and apparatus for tying a twisted clinch knot to secure a fishing line to a fishhook, swivel, leader, snelled hook, flier, streamer, eyelet or the like.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In order to secure a fishhook or the like to a fishing line, a twisted clinch knot is typically formed by extending a short length of line through an opening in the article to be secured, twisting the short length of line several times around an adjacent portion of the rest of the line, and looping the end of the short length of line through an opening formed immediately adjacent to the hook. The knot so formed is very effective and will not come untied.
Unfortunately, the tying of such a knot in the field by hand is difficult and often very frustrating. The materials used in the manufacture of fishing lines are usually stiff and resilient and are not easily deformed and twisted as necessary to form the knot. Compounding this problem are the poor conditions a fisherman may encounter in the field, including cold and wet weather, precarious footing, lessened visibility due to low light or bad weather, and the inability to devote both hands to the tying process for extended periods of time. Several of these conditions may occur simultaneously.
The problem of conveniently tying a twisted clinch knot has not gone unrecognized in the prior art. A number of devices and related methods have been proposed as solutions. U.S. Pat. No. 3,131,957, issued to Musto, describes a knot-tying tool which includes an elongated tubular member having a slit in one end and a handle secured to the other. Fishing line is threaded through the slit and through the hook, and then repeatedly wrapped about the tubular member. The line is subsequently passed through the tubular member and out of the slit, whereupon the line is removed from the member to form the knot. U.S. Pat. No. 3,575,449, issued to Browning, is similar in that it involves a tubular member about which is wrapped the fishing line. The member is provided with a clamping means at one end to secure an end of the line during the tying process. Other devices, not intended to be hand-held, have been described for tying fishing lines.
Despite the many efforts in the prior art, the problem of conveniently and effectively tying a fishing line with a hand-held device remains unsolved. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a hand-held fishing line tying device that is capable of conveniently and effectively tying a twisted clinch knot under field conditions.
A further object of the invention is to provide a hand-held fishing line tying device that is simple, inexpensive to manufacture, trouble-free and easy to use.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method of using the tying device to tie the line in the aforestated manner.
Further objects of the invention will become readily apparent from the foregoing detailed description.